Games can offer a source of entertainment and, in some cases, educational benefits. For example, some games allow players to act out real-world circumstances in a game setting where risk is minimal, hypothetical, or fictitious. One exemplary game of this type is sold under the Monopoly brand by Hasbro, Inc., Pawtucket, R.I., USA. In this popular game, players can buy fictitious properties using pretend currency in a board game setting. Players can achieve simulated “wealth” by accumulating properties and charging other players who land on those properties during game play. Such a game presents the possibility of teaching players several real-world principles of finance, including, for example, the principle of risk versus reward, property assessment and valuation, wealth growth and accumulation, and other principles. Even though the game can be played with little or no actual consequence to the players, the game can teach principles that can be applied to real-world situations.
Games can be implemented on different platforms. Some games, like the one described above, can be played as a so-called “board” game where players gather around a playing surface and interact with physical objects. For example, pretend money can be exchanged to buy and sell property, and iconic game pieces can be moved about the board to indicate ownership of a property by a player.
In another example, some games can be implemented on computer systems that allow players to interact from remote locations while the game is played. For example, a computer-implemented version of the above-referenced game can be played by players using various types of computing systems, e.g., desktop or laptop computers, so-called “smart phones,” personal computing devices, or tablets.